If, like me, you get a bit twitchy in winter without lots of lovely veg to grow, why not try an indoor mushroom kit?

Mellors and I bought a range of kits from Espresso Mushroom Company, which are cardboard boxes containing mushroom spores in a compost of coffee grounds. You just wet the contents and watch the mushrooms grow almost overnight.

They grow so quickly (with almost creepy haste, like tasty, colourful Triffids) – the kids love seeing how much bigger they are every day. Give it a go. Mushroom risotto for the Hillbillys tonight!